Mexico players stress need to improve against Brazil

El Tri may be heavy underdogs heading into Wednesday’s Confederations Cup game against Brazil, but the mood in the camp is that everything is still to fight for, as long as it performs better than in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Italy.

“The team can aspire to the three points and get back into the fight,” explained Javier Aquino in Central Deportiva. “It’s not all lost.”

Although Mexico has a good record recently in competitive matches against the Selecao – highlighted by last summer’s Olympic final – the home side has defeated both France and Japan by a 3-0 scoreline in its last two games and El Tri knows it is in for a tough test.

“We have to improve a lot to win the next game,” Carlos Salcido, who has been highly critical of his team’s performance against Italy, is quoted as saying in the same outlet. “The most important thing is to correct what we’ve been lacking.”

Captain Francisco “Maza” Rodriguez and Gerardo Torrado both pointed out that the turn-around of only two rest days between games leaves little time to make radical changes, but that it may not be a bad thing.

“Obviously there is a lot less time to recover physically,” said Torrado, “but revenge is around the corner, it’s good.”

Added the Cruz Azul midfielder: “We have to be intelligent, not become crazy and play a good game.”

If Mexico loses against Brazil, it will be out of the Confederations Cup, increasing the pressure on coach Jose Manuel “Chepo” de la Torre.